Last Call
by tfm
Summary: Having two girls on the team will either end in catfights, or sleepovers.
1. Breakfast

Last Call

This will mostly just be random one-shots throughout and after the series. Mostly friendship, but will occasionally dip into shippy things. Enjoy. This particular piece is set near the beginning of season two.

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One: Breakfast

They've been on the road for an hour already when Lawson makes the customary breakfast stop. He seems to have pointedly ignored Shannon's request that they go to a bakery instead of a burger shop, but today, Stella's just hungover enough to side with Lawson.

'Part of being a team means eating the same thing as everyone else, Shannon,' Lawson says, in that tone of voice that makes it abundantly clear that he's joking, but Shannon gives him a look anyway.

"Control freak" isn't the worst word to describe her, but it's close. Shannon's a little uptight, but nowhere near as uptight as Stella had first thought. They don't really have anything in common, and two girls on the team will either end in catfights, or sleepovers.

It doesn't hurt that she's insanely attractive, either, but then, if Stella hooked up with the people she found insanely attractive, she probably would have been kicked off the job a long time ago.

Still.

Stella's more than a little wary, because it's clear from the way Lawson's acting that Shannon had been Kerry's pick, rather than his. It's even clearer by the way they act around each _other_ that there's some kind of history.

Shannon gives Lawson a long look as he passes over the burger. 'It's eight o'clock,' she says, still pressing the point a little.

'There are starving kids in Ethiopia, Shannon,' he counters, in that same tone of voice as before. Stella's not entirely sure whether to be amused or uncomfortable. Shannon shakes her head, and catches Stella's eye in the rear-view mirror.

She grins, and Stella decides that Shannon's alright.


	2. Coffee

Two: Coffee

Shannon looks across the table at Stella, who's stirring her coffee with a teaspoon.

They're doing the "undercover, but not really" thing. Since even the inhabitants of St Kilda aren't blind enough to ignore the completely unsubtle "POLICE" signs emblazoned across the TR vehicles, even if it is the kind of place where police cars are a common occurrence.

Saturday mid-morning means that they're just two of several dozen people in the middle of brunch. Shannon takes a sip of her own coffee, her gaze fixed past Stella. Their targets are across the road, leaning completely unsuspiciously against a Torana that looks like it's a couple of decades old.

'Not the smartest place to do it,' Shannon says, conversationally, not shifting her gaze.

Stella shrugs. 'Not really out of place, though.

Stella's a little something of a wild-card. Not in the same way that Michael's a wildcard, because Stella, at least, generally follows orders. Stella, she's more worried about screwing around outside of work. It's a personal worry, more than a professional one; as cathartic as it is to have a life outside of work, she's seen what's happened to cops whose lives go off the rails.

It's the kind of setting where they might have a "getting to know you" kind of conversation, only it's not really appropriate to be discussing anything work-related. Who knows who might be keeping an ear out. Instead, they've got coffee, and, because it might look weird if they didn't, a stack of pancakes that hasn't gone untouched.

'So what's the deal with you and Lawson?' Stella asks, and Shannon is only mildly surprised. Stella's shown herself to be fairly perceptive, and she has a knack for asking uncomfortable questions. 'Did you two used to fuck, or something?'

'Why, are you looking for tips?' Shannon doesn't want to play the "get put into uncomfortable situations" game. Stella laughs, and it's abundantly clear that she finds the question _hilarious_.

'God no,' she says, still laughing. 'I mean, yeah, I guess he's alright for a bloke like him, but he's not really my type.'

'What _is_ your type?' Shannon asks, privately thinking that it's probably someone a little less...law-abiding than Lawson.

'Well, for one thing, it usually comes with a vagina,' Stella says, and Shannon almost chokes on her coffee. Not at what Stella had said, but at with the casualness with which she said it. Again, Stella seems to find the whole situation highly amusing.

'Usually?'

'Well, I like to make an exception every now and then.' Shannon's been paying enough attention to know that she's probably talking about Michael. She's only been with the team a couple of months, and she's walked in on awkwardness more than once.

Before Shannon can respond, there's movement across the street. A white Ford Falcon has just pulled in a few cars down from the Torana, and their targets have suddenly gotten antsy. Then, one of them gets a phone call. Stella straightens a little, and a look of worry is etched on her face.

'He's not getting a tip-off, is he?' she murmurs, and Shannon keeps her gaze on him. He doesn't look as though he's hearing something anything that might ruin the operation, but then, it's hard to tell at this distance. He hangs up, and saunters over to the Falcon.

Shannon catches Josh's eye, and he nods. They both move to stand, and Shannon checks to make sure that her jacket is covering her holster. The last thing they need is for civilians to panic and get in the way.

A tram rattles past down the perpendicular street, and their cries of, 'Police, down on the ground!' are briefly drowned out.

It's a quick, clean take-down, and they end the shift with enough drugs and money to keep upstairs happy for at least a little while longer. It's not often they do this kind of thing, from what Shannon can gather, but it's nice to be a little more proactive for once.

When they get back to the station, Shannon takes a long, hot shower.

When she returns to the locker room, the only other person there is Stella.

'They left quick,' Shannon says, a little surprised. 'Must be a good game on tonight.'

'Hawks verse Blues, I think,' Stella says, indifferently. 'Hopefully the Blues get hammered.'

'Spoken like a true Collingwood fan,' Shannon says, trying to hide the amusement in her voice. Stella picks up on it anyway, and gives her a look.

'Oh, fuck off. It's bad enough Lawson and Josh give me shit without you starting, too.'

'All Collingwood fans should be given shit, Stel,' says Shannon, seriously. 'You can't go for the Lions?'

Stella's expression morphs into incredulity, like she thinks Shannon's gone crazy, which is fair enough. Apart from the fact that they aren't even Fitzroy anymore, the Lions haven't played a decent game in ten years. 'What about you?' Stella hastens to change the subject. 'Lawson get you onto the Hawks bandwagon, too?'

Shannon laughs a little, but doesn't deny it. She's not exactly a diehard fan, but she won't be telling Lawson that.

'I'm not cracking onto you, if that's what you're worried about,' says Stella, changing tack once more, and Shannon can't quite tell if she sounds insulted or not.

'Why would I be worried about that?' she asks, and Stella gives her an almost confused look that turns into a smile.

'Come on,' Stella says, slapping Shannon on the shoulder. 'It's Saturday night. First round's on me.'

'Just one,' Shannon counters, though she knows it's a promise she's going to end up breaking. The funny thing is, she doesn't really care.


End file.
